In 2009, following the 5-yearly elections to the European Parliament, a new system of pay and allowances came into force for MEPs. The new scheme introduced a standard European salary for MEPs, replacing the former arrangement under which MEPs were paid the same amount as an MP for their own member state parliament.

The common salary for MEPs on the new scheme is €95,484 per annum (2014), based on 38.5% of the basic salary of a judge at the European Court of Justice. MEPs who were re-elected in June 2009 had an option to continue with their member state parliamentary salary. I chose to exercise that option, which means that my gross salary is currently just over £74,000, and is subject to UK taxation.

Allowances

Apart from salary payments, each MEP can claim re-imbursement of travel costs between home and the European Parliament places of work, as well as for business travel in our own constituency. We can employ parliamentary assistants in Parliament and/or in constituency offices, who are paid from a staffing allowance that must cover all employment-related costs.

To cover the costs of living in Brussels and Strasbourg during the working week, a subsistence allowance is available, paid on a daily basis only if MEPs are present in the European Parliament.

A General Expenditure Allowance is provided for the purpose of setting up and running constituency offices. I have a network of offices, shared with MPs or MSPs in Dundee, Falkirk, Aberdeen, Forfar and Perth.